Palestinian Authority Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki has announced a draft resolution calling for a United Nations Security Council vote on Palestinian statehood will be tabled.
In an interview with Ma'an News Agency, Maliki explained the Palestinian Liberation Organization had decided to postpone the draft resolution both because it was still gathering the necessary support from nine Council members and because of the ongoing Iranian nuclear negotiations.
"The permanent member states have informed us that they would give priority to the Iranian issue not to the Palestinian statehood issue," he noted.
Maliki said that a draft resolution would be submitted once the Iranian nuclear talks have concluded and the PLO has acquired the requisite political support.
It is unclear exactly when the resolution will be submitted.
Some of the the Council's five permanent members have expressed support for Palestinian statehood. On Sunday, Russian deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov told Interfax that "Russia is prepared to support this resolution, when and if it will be put to a vote." Britain's House of Commons held a symbolic vote in October supporting Palestinian statehood while France plans to hold a similar vote on Friday.
Any of the five permanent members, however, would have the power to veto the resolution.
